ACUPRESSURE POINTS FOR HEADACHE

Headache

The head is where all the yang channels of the hand and foot meet. Attack of endogenous or exogenous factors may cause headaches due to derangement of Vital energy and Blood in the head and retardation of the circulation of Vital energy in the channels that traverse the head.

Headache such as in a common cold is caused by exogenous pathagenic factors. Headache of endogenous origin, called " HEADWIND" is intermittent, protracted and intractable. Pain occurs on either side of the head. It may be of the excess or deficiency type, the former due mainly to hyperactivity of yang of the Liver and the later due to deficiency of vital energy and blood.

Frontal headache:

Acupressure points are :-

GB 14

UB 2

St 44

St 43

Temporal headache

 Acupoints are:-

SJ 23

GB20

SJ5

GB 41

Parietal headache

Acupoints are:-

GB 8

St 8

Sj 3

Sj 5

Vertical headache:

Acupoints are:-

GV20

K1

UB60

Occipital headache

Acupoints are:-

GV 20

UB10

Lu7

SI 6

In all cases of headache the acupoint L.I. 4 to be used.

Acupressure points for high Blood Pressure and low Blood Pressure

 High blood pressure:

High blood pressure ( RaktaVata) is also called hypertension. The main cause according to Ayurveda is vitiation of Vata. This then leans towards the arterial hardening, narrowing and congestion ( Vata can dry up moisture in blood.

The symptoms commonly associated with high blood pressure are related to the Liver and Kidney. Acupressure is effective in controlling mild and moderate cases of hypertension without serious complications.

Give pressure on given Acupoints.

Acupressure points are:-

LI11

St36

GB20

Liv3

Sp9

Caution: If blood pressure is very high , do not use Liv3.  An abrupt fall in blood pressure may occur.

Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure (Nyuna Raktachapa) or hypotention is normally a vata derangement.

The acupoints are :-

Cv6

St36

Sp6

P6

THE THEORY OF THE FIVE ELEMENTS

 The five Elements are:

Wood

Fire

Earth

Metal

Water

According to the traditional medicine , there are five Elements in heaven, as also on earth. These five elements are related in two cyclic sequence which are:-

1. Generative cycle

2. Destructive cycle

Generative cycle (Sheng cycle)

In generative cycle Fire is fed by Wood; the ashes which form becomes the earth; Metal is formed in the Earth; Water springs from Metal( fluidity arises from the solid state); and Water nourishes trees which become Wood. Thus completing the generative cycle.

Destructive cycle (Ko cycle)

In destructive cycle Fire melts Metal; Metal cuts Wood; Wood covers the Earth; and the Earth dams Water. Thus completing the destructive cycle. 

The 5 Elements are therefore not independent entities but exist in an intimate relation to each Elements which governs and is governed by another Element.

The Five Elements may refer not to five material substance but to five characteristics namely: 

Wood- solidity and ease of workability;

Fire- Combustion and development of heat

Earth- fertility

Metal- fusibility

Water- fluidity.

The theory of the five elements basically explains the interpromoting, inter-acting, over acting and counter-acting relationships among them. Its application to traditional medicine is classifying into diffrent categories, natural phenomena plus the tissues and organs of the human body and human emotions interpreting the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment with the laws of inter-promoting, over-acting and counter-acting of the five elements. This theory is used as a guide in medical practice.

WATER- The water is that quality in nature which describe as soaking and descending.

That which soaks, drips and descends causes SALTINESS.

FIRE- Fire is that quality in nature which describe as BLAZING AND UPRISING.

That which rises up generates BITTERNESS.

WOOD- Wood is that quality in nature which permits of curved surface or straight edges.

That which  of curved surfaces or straight edges give SOURNESS.

METAL- Metal is that quality in nature which can flow the form of a mould and then become hard. 

That which can flow the form a mould and then become hard, produce ACIDITY.

EARTH- Earth is tha quality in nature which permits of sowing and reaping.

That which permits of sowing, growth and reaping, gives rise to SWEETNESS.

The Five elements are gradually came to be associated with every conceivable category of phenomena in the universe which it was possible to classify in fives. 

BIO- ENERGY CHANNELS

Energy Channels

Channels/Meridians or Nadis:- Lines drawn more or less vertically on the body surface connecting acupuncture points having similar therapeutic properties.

The 14 major channels (nadis) are considered most important in our body. These major channels are distribured over the entire human body, which allow vital energy(prana) to flow. These channels, having great therapeutic value are found close to skin, connecting with major organ internally and externally with tissues where the the pressure points are located. These pressure points have low resistance.

By needling, heating or massaging the pressure points ( marmas or vital points) , a therapeutic effects can be achieved not only in local area but also in organs which are related to these channels.

These channels carry vital energy (Prana) in one form or another as it moves around the body. The channels are also vehicles for the three humors, VATA, PITTA AND KAPHA. When a channels's energy flow is impaired, this can cause a similar blockage in the flow of the body fluids like blood , lymph etc.

The channels carrying Vital energy (Prana) cannot normally be seen, since they carry invisible energy, much like electricity. 

The 14 important channels are:-

1) Governer channel

2) Conception channel

3) Lung channel

4) Large intestine channel

5) Stomach channel

6) Spleen channel

7) Heart channel

8) Small intestine channel

9) Urinary Bladder channel

10) Kidney channel

11) Pericardium Channel

12) Sanjiao channel

13) Gall Bladder channel

14) Liver channel

The Governer and Conception channels do not relate to a specific organ but have a relared effects on an area.

The Conception channel controls childbirth and the reproductive system. The 12 major organ channels can be divided into two types:- 1) Those which are related to solid organs(like- The heart ) . 2) Those which are related to the hollow organs (like -The large intestine). 

The solid organ channels are always located along the inside of the limbs, while the hollow organ channels are always located along the outside or external aspect of the limbs. 

Solid Organs And Hollow Organs

THE THEORY OF ZANG-FU

Here the Zang means "solid organ", and Fu means "Hollow organ."

In human body, the diffrent internal organs are described as having the division of labour exhibited by a properly run state. This is know as the state of analogy:

Here is the organs and there Official Functions:-

The Heart : The supreme Controller or Emperor.

The Small intestine: The separator of the pure and impure.

The Pericardium: The protector of the Emperor.

The Sanjiao: The controller of temperature.

The Liver: The official for judgement and planning.

The Gall Bladder: The official for decision making.

The Lung: The Receivar of Vital energy from the heavens.

The Large Intestine: The official for the drainage of the dregs.

The Stomach: The official for rotting and ripening.

The Spleen: The official for transport and distribution.

The Kidney: The controller of the storage of vital energy.

The Urinary Bladder: The controller of water.

Another analogy is the  Universe analogy:

The upper half of man, including the heart and the brain, represents heaven; the lower half, including the stomach and genitalia , represents the earth. Man is the son of heaven and earth.

The ancient traditional medicine related the body functions into twelve Organ system, which are classified according to their characteristics into Zang(yin) and Fu(Yang), and into the five elements.

 

The Zang organs have the functions of storing and are known as the "SOLID ORGANS".

They are YIN character.

The Fu Organs have the functions of digesting and absorbing food and excreting wastes, and are known as the " HOLLOW ORGANS"

They are YANG in character.

Although the diffrent Organs have separate functions , they work in close co-ordination with each other to preserve the unity of the organism and to carry its vital functions.

The classification of the Twelve Organs into Yin and Yang and into five Elements is correlated as follow:-

1. Each Yin organ(Solid organ) is coupled to a Yang Organ(Hollow Organ) and they are both identified with one of the five Elements.

Heart, Pericardium, Sanjiao, Small Intestine- Fire element.

Stomach and Spleen- Earth Element.

Lung and Large Intestine- Metal element.

Kidney and Urinary Bladder- Water element.

Liver and Gall Bladder - Wood Element.

2. Each pair of these coupled Organ relate to other such pairs of coupled organ in generative and in destructive cycle that govern the relationship of the Five elements.

Each of the Zang(Solid) and Fu(Hollow) organs relates to a vital functions of the body.

The Zang(Solid) and Fu(Hollow) organgs are connected to certain areas of the body in such manner that pathological changes in in Zang and Fu organ also brought about corresponding changes in related area or tissue. Some of these changes could be related to the Five colour. This made it easy to ascertain which set of Zang(Solid) and Fu(Hollow) organ needed treatment. These relationships are as follow:

Lung and Large Intestine- WHITE, and connected to the tissues of SKIN, BODY HAIR.

Heart,pericardium and Small intestine, Sanjiao- RED colour, Tissue- Brain,  Blood vessels.

Spleen and Stomach- YELLOW colour, Tissues- Soft tissues, four extremitis.

Liver and Gall Bladder: GREEN colour, Tissues- Muscle, Tendon

Kidney and Urinary Bladder- BLACK colour, Tissues- Bone, Cartilage, Nails, Teeth, Head hair.

The relationships of the five human emotions to the Zang- Fu :-

Lung and Large Intestine - Sadness.

Heart and Small Intestine- Joy.

Spleen and Stomach- Anxiety.

Liver and Gall Bladder- Anger.

Kidney and Urinary Bladder - Fear.